Machine for filling and packing molds with granular substances.



A. BOGDA'NFFY.

MACHlNE FOR FILLING AND PACKING MOLDS WITH GRANULAR SUBSTANCES. APPLICATION FILED SEPTEZB. 19M. RENEWED MAY 23.1917.

1,251,339. Patented Dec. 25,1911.

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W/T/VESSES E ma) ATTOR/V' A. BOGDA N FFY. D PACKING MOLDS WITH GRANU'LAR SUBSTANCES. D SEPT.28,- I914. RENEWED MAY 23.1912.

NACHINE FOR F ILLING AN APPLICATION FILE Patented Dec. 25, 1917.

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l/VVE/VTOR W/TWESSE3 e12. cam/w.

A BOGDANFFY.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND PACKING MOLDS WITH GRANULAR SUBSTANCES.

APPLICATION FILED SEFT.28, 19H. RENEWED MAY 23.1917- 1 25 1,336, Patented Dec. '25, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.v

IIVI E/VTOR W/TNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER BQGDANFFY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND PACKING MOLDS WITH GEANULAR SUBSTANCES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER BOG- oiixrry, a subject of the King of Hungary, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful ln1- provements in Machines for Filling and Packing Molds with Granular Substances, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in machines for filling and packing molds with granular substances, for instance with treated granulated cork or com position cork.

In manufacturing stoppers or sea-ling disks of the artificial cork type for use in connection with bottle or other closures, it has been the tendency lately to form composition oorkrods, which are then cut into stoppers or thin disks. As a mold, a-cylinder or tube of considerable'length is used, said mold being filled with the granulated treated cork, which is properly packed into the mold and, while in the mold, treated to form a solid rod. The rod so prepared is then removed from the mold, and out up into pieces of any desired lengths, depending upon the use to which said out pieces are to be put. In order to obtain a uniform product, it is obviously essential that the molds be packed evenly throughout their lengths. Heretofore there llElNe been proposed several devices for filling and packing molds. In most of these devices, however, the packing rods or plungers are actuated by springs or weights. Inasmuch as the tension of the springs varies as the packing proceeds, obviously an uneven packing of the molds takes place. here the packing depends upon weights, the distances, from which the weighted packing plungers are dropped, vary as the filling proceeds, producing composite cork rods which are far from being uniform in density throughout their lengths. Again, in some devices the plungers work against weights, that are acting on moving molds. In these devices the momentum of the weighted molds seems to prevent an even packing of the molds.

One of the objects of the present invention is to obviate these defects, and to provide a mold filling and packing machine for the purpose specified, which is simple and efiicient in operation, and whereby rods are produced which are substantially even and uniform throughout the lengths thereof,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 25,, 191 '1,

Application filed September 28, 1914, Serial No. 863,888. Renewed May 23, 1917.

Serial No. 170,563.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a simple feeding mechanism which will insure a positive and uniform feeding to the molds and which automatically stops the feeding as soon as the molds are completely filled.

With these and other objects in view, which will more fully appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in the size and proportion of the several parts and details of construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

One of the many possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, partly in section; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a portion of a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a portion of a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a portion of .a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 77 of Fig. (3 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 8 is a portion of a section taken on line S8 of Fig. 1 Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken through a portion of the cross head of the machine; Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a frontelevation of the detail shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a detail of the feeding means actuating mechanism; Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the detail shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 1% is a section taken on line 141-1 of Fig. 1.2; Fig. 15 is a vertical section taken through another detail of the feeding means actuating device; Fig. 16 is a section taken on line 16-16 of Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is an elevation, partly in section, of a detail of the packing or tamping plunger; Fig. 18 1s a plan view on an enlarged scale of the detail of the device shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 19 is a section taken on line 19-19 of Fig. 18; Fig. 20 is asection taken on line 20-20 of Fig. 19; Fig. 21 is a section taken through a furth r detail of th PWPfiQ U 22 is a front elevation of the detail shown in Fig. 21; F ig. 23 is a vertical section taken through one of the valves controlling the supply of granular material to the molds; Fig. 2% is a plan view of said valve; and Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the trough or hopper holding the granular material in its loose state.

In the drawings, the numeral 30 indicates the frame of the machine, including side sections 31, which are united by front and rear plates 32 and 33. In the lower portion of the frame is journaled a horizontally arranged shaft 3%, to which are fixedly attached two disks 35 and 36, the latter one serving as a pulley, by the intermediary of which the shaft is driven. The disks 35 and 36 are provided with wrist-pins 37, which are engaged in the usual manner by pitmen 38, that are connected with a cross head 39, the latter being reciprocably mounted in vertically extending guides 40, which are formed upon the inner faces of the side sections 31 of the frame. In the cross head is provided a plurality of vertically disposed cylindrical bores 41, in the case illustrated, for instance, twelve, the machine illustrated being built for filling and packing simultaneously twelve molds. It is, however, obvious that any other number may be provided according to the requirements without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each bore is closed at its lower end by cover 42, having a centrally arranged opening 43 relative to the bore. Through each of these openings projects a packing or tamping plunger 44, to which is attached a weight 45, that is reciprocably disposed within the corresponding bore 41. The tamping plungers are provided at their lower ends with cylindrical heads 46, that fit the molds hereinafter to be described. The plungers extend into vertical tubular guides l7, the latter being carried by a trough-shaped hopper 48, that extends from side to side of the main frame of the machine, and is attached to said sides, for instance, by rivets. The tubular guides extend through the bottom of the hopper and register with apertures l9 in a mold-support 50. This mold-support comprises a frame that is substantially I-shaped in cross section and extends from side to side of the main frame of the machine, and is attached to said sides 111 any suitable manner. The apertures 49 are formed in the horizontal head portion 51 of the mold-support, and in'alinement with these apertures are formed in the horizontal foot portion 52 of said mold-support recesses 53, the front ends of which are adapted to be closed by springs 54, the latter being fastened to the foot portion 52 of the moldsupport. In the underface of the head portion 51 of the mold-support the apertures 49 merge into conical recesses 55,

into which and into the recesses 53 are adapted to be inserted the conical heads 56 of tubular molds 57. The lower ends of the molds are before insertion closed by covers, their upper ends being left open to receive the granular material with which they are to be filled and packed. In inserting the molds, first their upper ends are seated into the recesses 55 in the head of the support, their lower ends being then brought into the recesses 53 in the foot of the mold support, the springs 5% having been previously depressed, to be restored to their normal positions as soon as the molds are properly in place. The springs obviously keep the molds in place during the filling and packing operations.

The means for feeding the granular material from the hopper through the apertures 19 into the molds comprises a plurality of slide valves 58, one for each mold. These valves are disposed in guides 59 between the bottom of the hopper and the horizontal head portion 51 of the mold support. Each valve is provided with two ports 60 in line with a set of two openings 61 in the bottom of the hopper, that opening in the bottom of the hopper through which the corresponding tubular guide 47 leads being located between and in the line of the openings 61, so that, as the slide valve is being reciprocated and moved to one side, for instance into the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, one of the valve ports registers with the aperture 49 in the mold-support and the other valve port with one of the set of openings 61 in the bottom of the hopper and, when moved to the other side, one of the ports registers again with the aperture :9 and the other one with the other one of the set of openings 61. IVith each alve is associated an actuating mechanism. These actuating mechanisms are independent of each other, and comprise each a twoarmed lever 62, that is fulcrumed at 63 to a bar 6%, that is carried by the front and rear plates 32 and 33 of the frame. To the ends of this lever are pivoted at 65 downwardly extending links 66, to each of which is pivoted at 67 a bellcrank lever 68. These bellcrank levers are fulcrumed at 69, 69 to the trough or other stationary part of the machine, in their slotted ends 70 being seated pins 71, that are attached to the corresponding slide valve 58. Each of the links 66 carries near its upper end a spring pressed lug 72', for instance in the form of a pin 73, that is slidably disposed in a housing 74, the latter being fixedly attached to the link. A spring 75 serves to project the pin 73 through an opening in the housing 74. I'Vith each set of lugs 72 cotiperates a slide 76, which is arranged in a horizontally extending guide 77 in the top of the cross head. 39, These slides are located parallel to each other and are provided within the bores 41 in the cross head with grooves 78, in which teeth 79, that are formed upon the weights at, are adapted to be seated in a manner hereinafter to be described. To each of the links (36 is pivoted at 80 a cam 81, that is projected toward the cross head by a spring 82, stop 83 determining the outermost position of the cam. These cams serve to actuate, as will hereinafter appear, the slides 76, which, in turn act upon the lugs 72.

The connections between the cross head of the machine and the packing plungers are made as follows: Each of the plungers is provided with ratchet teeth 8% down from the weight so to a distance which is somewhat greater than the height of the cross head. To each cover 42 are pivoted at 85 jaws 86, that surround the plunger, and are provided with beveled faces 87, cooperating with the correspondingly shaped ratchet teeth 8%. A spring 88, engaging the jaws, tends to keep them in engagement with their plunger. For the purpose of disengaging, at times hereinafter specified, a set of aws from its plunger, there is shiftably mounted in a guide 89, associated with each cover a2,

a plate 90, that has a trapeziform opening- 91, into which extensions of the jaws project. The width of the opening .91 decreases gradually downward, as clearly shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings, the extensions of the jaws being normally seated in the widest portion of the opening 91 (Fig. 11'). lVhen, therefore, the plate 90 is shifted upward, obviously. it willcause the jaws to :o'pen against the action of the spring 88. For the purpose of actuating the plates 90, there are shift-ably mounted upon a rail 92 blocks 92, which are adapted to be projected independently of each other into the paths of the plates 90 by bellcrank levers 93, in engagement with said blocks, or by any other suitable means. A rail 9st is attached to the frontplate 32 of the frame, and is adapted to engage, when the cross head reaches in its travel its uppermost point, those plates 90 which have been previously shifted to their upper positionsby blocks 92'.

The operation of this machine is as follows: Before starting the operation of the machine, the cross-head, with the plungers carried thereby, is brought into its upper most position (Fig. 1). Empty molds are then placed upon the support 50, the mate rial to be packed therein being poured into the hopper 48. This hopper, having slanting walls and partitions 95, that are also slanting, will cause the material therein to fiow' continuously toward the openings'Gl in the bottom thereof, and through the latter into those valve ports 60 which happen to be in registering positions with one or the other one of said sets of openings. To understand the operation of the machine, it is necessary to describe the filling and packing of one mold only. Let us suppose that the single mold shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings is to be filled and packed, and that the plunger cooperatin g therewith is clutched to the cross head by the cooperating ratchet teeth and jaws above described. There being no charge in the mold, the descending plunger does not change its position relative to the cross head,

but will upon the next upward stroke occupy again the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It should be noted that that end of the slide 7 6, which is nearer the front plate 32, projects beyond its guide 77. At the first downward stroke, the projecting end of the slide comes into contact with its corresponding cam 81, which shifts the said slide so that its other end will project beyond the guice 77. At the next upward stroke, the projecting end of the slide comes into contact with that lug 72 which is nearer the rear plate 38, thereby shifting, by the intermediary of the links 66 and bellcrank levers 68, the slide valve 58. In the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, obviously that port 60 which is in alinement with one of the openings 61 in the bottom of the hopper is filled with granular material, and, as the valve is shiftedin the direction of the arrow'shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, thesaid port will register with the aperture 49,

so that the granular material therein is fed intothe mold 57. The port 60 which registers in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings with the mold, is thus brought into alinement with the other one of the set of openings 61, to receive its charge. Upon the next downward stroke, first the slide 7 6 is shifted to the other side, and the plunger packs the charge into the mold to a density which depends wholly upon the weight of the plunger and weight 45. The plunger is caused to ascend during the packing operation a distance equal to the height of the compressed charge, the jaws in cooperation withthe ratchet teeth holding'it in such position during the next upward stroke. The cycle of operation now described is then repeated, that is to say as the plunger ascends again, the same quantity of material is fed into the mold on top of the already packed material, and upon the downward stroke the charge is compressed to the density of the previously compressed charge and into integrity therewith. These operations are repeated until the plunger reachesits uppermost point in relation to the cross head, at which positionthe teeth 79 engage the grooves? 8 in the slide 76. thereby preventing a shifting of the slide 7 6 by the cams 81, whereby the feeding will automatically stop. he filled and packed mold is then removed from the support, closed by a,

cover, and is thus ready for further treat ment. Anew mold is then placed upon the support and the corresponding block 92' shifted in the path of the plate 90 associated therewith, which will result, upon the next downward motion of the cross head, in a disengagement of the pawls from the ratchet teeth of the plunger, which will thus drop to its lowermost position. An air port 96 near the bottom of the corresponding cylindrical bore permits the air below the weight to escape, yet it causes the formation of an air cushion which will deaden the blow of the falling weight 45. At the next upward stroke, the plate 90 is shifted by the transverse rail 94 to its normal position (Figs. 1 and 11), whereby the spring 88 engages the jaws with the ratchet teeth of the plunger, after which the block 92 is brought back manually to its inoperative position, the filling of the new mold then commences and proceeds in the manner above described. The lugs 7 2 are resiliently fastened to the links, to prevent shocks and jars.

From the foregoing it appears that each plunger is positively connected to the cross head during its entire upward stroke, the jaws 86 upon the cover 42 of the cross head being in engagement with the ratchet teeth 84 on the plunger. As there is no mechanism provided which would disengage the jaws from the plunger, it is obvious that the plunger will be positively connected with the cross head at the downward stroke. However, near to the end of the downward stroke the plunger comes into contact with the loose material in the mold, and is thereby temporarily disconnected from the cross head, that is to say the plunger slides up one or more teeth in relation to the cover 42 of the cross head, this distance corresponding to the height of the last charge that is being compressed. It is obvious, therefore, that the plunger is released from the cross head during the act of compression. The compression being finished, the cross head staItS on its upward stroke carrying with it the plunger, the jaws in cooperation with the ratchet teeth again positively connecting the plunger with the cross head. The cycle now described is repeated during each turn of the main shaft of the machine until, as above described, the plunger reaches its uppermost point in relation to the cross head.

It should be observed that measured quantities of material are fed into a mold at a time, and each charge is compressed or packed individually. Inasmuch as the degree of compression depends entirely upon the weight, the plunger being released from the cross head during the act of compression, the rod will be even and uniform throughout the length thereof. The plunger drops, as it were, always from the same height by reason of its being released from the cross head in relation to the previously compressed charges always at the same point. The machine differs essentially from those heretofore in use, which rely either upon springs, the tensions of which vary at each stroke of the plunger, or they rely upon weighted plungers which are dropped from varying heights as the filling and packing proceeds. It differs also from those in which weight controlled moving molds are used. All of these machines produce uneven packing.

The density of the rod in the present machine is predetermined by the Weight of the plunger and weight 45 and may be varied, at will, by increasing or decreasing such weight.

IVhat I claim is 1. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a support for the mold, of a weighted plunger in operative relation thereto, a cross head, a connection between said plunger and cross head, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross head during the entire upward stroke and part of its downward stroke but is allowed to act by its weight near the end of its downward stroke, feeding means associated with said mold-support, means actuated by said cross-head for operating said feeding means, and means carried by said plunger for rendering said first named means inoperative when the filling of the mold has been completed.

2. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a stationary mold, of means for intermittently feeding measured quantities of loose material thereto for forming a single article, of a cross head, a weighted plunger shiftably arranged upon said cross head in operative relation to said mold, and a connection between said plunger and said cross-head, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross-head during the entire upward stroke and part of its downward stroke, but is allowed to act by its weight upon each individual charge from a distance which is always the same with relation to the previously compressed charges.

3. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a stationary mold, of means for intermittently feeding measured quantities of loose material thereto for forming a single article, of a cross head, a weighted plunger shiftably arranged upon said cross head in operative relation to said mold, a connection between said plunger and said cross-head, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross-head during the entire upward stroke and part of its downward stroke, but is allowed to act by its weight upon each individual charge from a distance which is always the same with relation to the previously compressed charges, means actuated by said cross head for operating said feeding means, and means carried by said plunger for rendering said feeding means operating means inoperative when the filling of the mold has been completed.

4. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a stationary mold, of means for intermittently feeding measured quantities of loose material thereto for forming a single article, of a cross head, a weighted plunger shiftably arranged upon said cross head in operative relation to said mold, and a connection between said plunger and said cross-head, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross-head during the entire upward stroke and part of its downward stroke, but is allowed to act by its weight upon each individual charge from a distance which is always the same with relation to the previously compressed charges, whereby said plunger is raised in relation to said cross head at each downward stroke the same distance.

5. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a stationary mold, of means for intermittently feeding measured quantities of loose material thereto for forming a single article, of a cross head, a weighted plunger shiftably arranged upon said cross head in operative relation to said mold, a connection between said plunger and said cross head, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross head during the entire upward stroke and part of its downward stroke, but is allowed to act by its weight upon each individual charge from a distance which is always the same with relation to the previously compressed charges, whereby said plunger is raised in relation to said cross head at each downward stroke the same distance, means actuated by said cross head for operating said feeding means, said plunger rendering said feeding means operating means inoperative when it is raised to its highest point after the filling of the mold has been completed.

6. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combi nation with a support for the mold having an aperture through which the material is fed into the mold, of a hopper provided with two openings in line with said aperture, a slide valve between said hopper and said mold-support having two ports adapted to register alternately with said aperture and one of said openings, a cross head, a

weighted plunger shiftably arranged upon said cross head in operative relation to said aperture, a connection between said plunger and said cross head, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross head during the entire upward stroke and part of its downward stroke, but is allowed to act by its weight near the end of its downward stroke, links connected with said slide valve, and means carried by said cross head for actuating said links, whereby said slide valve is reciprocated.

7. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a support for the mold having an aperture through which the material is fed into the mold, of a hopper provided with two openings in line with said aperture, a slide valve between said hopper and said mold-support having two portsadapted to register alternately with said aperture and one of said openings, a cross head, a weighted plunger shiftably arranged upon said cross head in operative relation to said aperture, a connection between said plunger and said cross head, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross head during the entire upward stroke and part Of its downward stroke, but is allowed to act by its weight near the end of its downward stroke, links connected with said slide valve, and means carried by said cross head for actuating said links, whereby said slide valve is reciprocated, said last named means being set to operative positions, in turn, by said links.

8. In a machine for filling and packing molds with granulated material, the combination with a support for the mold, of a cross head, a weighted plunger having ratchet teeth shiftably arranged upon said cross head in operative relation to said mold-support, spring pressed jaws carried by said cross head cooperating with said ratchet teeth, whereby said plunger is positively connected with said cross head during the entire upward stroke and part of its downward stroke, but is allowed to act by its weight near the end of its downward stroke, means carried by said cross head for disengaging, at will, said jaws from said plungers, and means in the path of said last mentioned means for rendering the same inoperative.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 18th day of Sept, A. D. 1914.

ALEXANDER BOGDANFFY.

I/Vitnesses:

SIGMUND HnRzoG, S. BIRNBAUM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

